To BCHE investors:
Some important developments related with future 3TC sale:
-- Glaxo will sell Combivir for $200/month in developing countries, as a part of UNAIDS program. Since BCHE's royalty is in percentage of the sale, this has to be positive to BCHE.
-- The most important news in the world aids conference so far, is the possibility of using DMP 266 + Combibir as the first line therapy -- there is a WSJ article on this today. The most imporatnt feature for this treatment is the simplicitity in dosing -- twice, three pills a day. [Currently, patients have to follow a very strick dosing schedule and take more than 10 pills a day] The simple dosing schedule will help patient compliance, and thus less chance for drug resistance to development.
The significance of this news to BCHE is that DMP-266 has turned from a potential competitor to a collaborator in aids treatment.
-- Another news is from Bristol-Meyer, saying that d4T/ddI combination is better than the ATZ/3TC combination. In my opinion, this is off the mark, since it is NOT advised to take ATZ/3TC alone. What needs to be compared is the current standard first line therapy: ATZ + 3TC + PI or d4T + 3TC + PI. In the press release, BMY admits that d4T+dd4+PI is NOT better than the current standard therapy.
-- Glaxo has filed an NDA for Ziagen -- the former Glaxo 1592. This drug is in the same family as in ATZ and 3TC. Most people think that Glaxo will make a potential replace to ATZ, or an addition to Combivir. We will see how it unfolds when it receives the FDA approval -- expected by the end of this year.
Combining above, I have to agree with BCHE management -- there isn't anything that can change 3TC's role in the aids treatment. If anything, the development of DMP-266 makes 3TC more important.
Steven |
